Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma man accused of fatally shooting his parents was on Friday ordered to stand trial on two counts of first-degree murder.
Michael Elijah Walker, 20, is accused in the March 2019 shootings of Michael Logan Walker, 50, and Rachel May Walker, 44. Police said the younger Walker told investigators that he shot his parents “because they were sending him messages telepathically and they were Satan worshippers,” The Oklahoman reported.
Oklahoma County Special Judge Kathryn Savage ruled Friday that there was enough evidence to proceed to trial in the case. After that, Walker's attorney, Derek Chance, said his client was not guilty by reason of mental illness.
Chance said last year that his client, who goes by Eli, suffers from severe mental illness.
“I have had an initial assessment done on Eli and it clearly indicates he is acutely paranoid and delusional." he said last year. "This, we believe, explains the horrible tragedy.”
In December, a psychiatrist found Walker mentally competent to stand trial.
Also Thursday, prosecutors added a third felony count against Walker, charging him with possession of an explosive device. A police detective who is a certified bomb technician said four items recovered from Walker's gun safe were considered improvised explosive devices.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
